TPT May 2014

Technology News

Intelligent inline measuring THE need for lightweight materials is increasing. However, production processes with adequate inline measurement technology suitable for mass production are still in their infancy. A research project initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research aims to change this situation. is the project partner in the metrology area. The fringe projection system detects lightweight materials, such as carbon fibre, glass fibre and fibre- reinforced plastics, without having to treat the surface of the object to be measured, enabling measurements in the production cycle. Therefore, the system differs fundamentally from the white light scanners normally used for 3D surface data acquisition.

surface parameters of the laser-treated lightweight material. Based on this data, the bonding success can be safely predicted. A prototype of the R3Dscan was presented for the first time at Control 2013. At Control 2014, AiMESS will present an optimised system that surpasses the prototype in a functional and cosmetic way: the housing volume is reduced by 40 per cent. This reduction of material and volume leads to an optimised beam path during the measurement, and the compact design makes handling easier. In addition, the AiMESS development team introduced a new cooling concept so that the R3Dscan can be operated at room temperatures above 30°C (86°F). “With the R3Dscan, which is the result of more than 30,000 hours of development work, we can quickly respond to the changing technology in the automotive industry,” said Dr Ernst Wiedenmann, director of research and development at AiMESS. “The measurement technology of the future must be smart and provide an automated production process interconnected with other means of production. At the same time, the inline capability of metrological detection of lightweight materials must be ensured. It is important to provide already today highly accurate and efficient inspection methods that will meet the challenges of tomorrow.” Further information about the inline measurement of lightweight materials will be provided on the AiMESS stand at the Control show (stand 7203 in hall 7). AiMESS Products GmbH – Germany Fax: +49 3921 63 639 28 Email: info-products@aimess.de Website: www.aimess.de

A process for automotive mass production will be drafted by spring 2016, within the scope of the project ‘Process-oriented research on photonic tools for bonding of multi-material lightweight structures in motor vehicles’. This process will define the optimal bonding technique for laser-treated material pairings consisting of metal and fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP), and will also integrate the appropriate inline measurement technology into the production process. AiMESS Services GmbH, with its patented 3D infrared scanner R3Dscan that meets all the requirements for automated use in the production line,

Unlike conventional fringe projection systems, AiMESS’s 3D scanner does not analyse the reflection, but the energy absorbed by the object to be measured. This energy is converted into heat, which is captured by the system using an infrared detector. Since the surface finish is not relevant for the method patented by AiMESS, the infrared scanner can precisely scan transparent, dark or reflective surfaces. As a result the R3Dscan is able to separate the transparent matrix of the laser-treated metal-FRP pairing from its fibre in order to identify quality-relevant

The R3Dscan infrared scanner from AiMESS

Inflatable weld purge dams SUMNER Manufacturing has introduced the third generation of its Purge Star inflatable weld purge dams for use with stainless pipe from 50 to 400mm diameter (2" to 16").

weld production rate and uses less argon than ever. Using an inflatable weld purge dam system, purging a 6" pipe to less than 1 per cent oxygen content takes less than three minutes. Other solutions such as paper dams simply can’t match that kind of production.” Sumner Manufacturing Co, Inc – USA Website: www.sumner.com

such as stainless, Duplex or titanium. “Sumner’s third generation of Purge Star purge dams are the result of applying feedback from hours of field use by our customers,” stated Sumner president Rob Collins. “Purge Star purge dams still provide welders with an inexpensive, time-saving, reusable device that not only performs a critical application of increased weld quality, but increases

Purge Star inflatable purge dams can be used to quickly and efficiently create a reduced-oxygen weld chamber where it is critical to avoid oxidation in the weld, for example when welding exotic metals

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M ay 2014